We changed this page in 2012 from a list of virtually every name who got us started—and thank you all—to the people and organizations without whom we would simply not be here. We also added a roster of everyone who has accomplished all of the original 650 miles of the Alabama Scenic River Trail. Some have done much more.

The people and organizations who make us possible

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs
Alabama State Parks
Autauga Creek Improvement Committee
University of Alabama Development Office
Cahaba River Society
Auburn University Extension Program
National Park Service
4-H of Alabama
The Alabama Legislature
Tennessee Vallery Authority
Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District
Cosby Company
Coosa Alabama River Improvement Association
Alabama Association of Resource and Conservation Districts
Alabama Power Company

We thank the following people who paddled the entirity of the 631-mile core Alabama Scenic River Trail, traversing the state from Georgia to Ft Morgan in the Gulf of Mexico

Ardie Olsen finished in 12 days 2 hours 9 minutes, a record time

Richard Grove - Georgia, started in north Georgia, did 850 miles. His blog is here

Warren Johnson - so far our only round trip paddler. 652 miles down, 647 back up from Ft Morgan, then 106 to the Neely Henry Dam = 1,405 miles

Sam Lentz from Mississippi and John Hayes from Alabama have together paddled the Tallapoosa (260 miles) in 2010; the ASRT "core" trail (660 miles) in 2011; and the Black Warrior / Tombigbee (439 miles) in 2012

J. Harold Banks —has completed the core Alabama Scenic River Trail plus the Tallapoosa River. A PDF book of his journey is here

Kevin Hand—and he never stopped paddling after Ft Morgan

Doug Wicklund - after paddling, then went back and installed 47 camp signs for us, now doing 25 more

and has re-done portage trail signs at 4 dams and adding 48 more portage signs

David Cutchin - Florida

Patrick Schmidt - Florida

David Haynes- with two Golder Retrievers in hand-made cedar canoe. His blog is here.

Jamie Bailey - with his dog Huckleberry Finn in a flat bottom boat, went on down into middle Florida

Randall Lackey

Sam Brown

Laura (first woman to finish the trail) and Nate Paulk. Laura's blog with her river adventures is here.

Chet Bailey and dog Casey

Matt Reynolds did in 2012 when age 18 in about three weeks

Retired school teachers from Indiana and Virginia - Jan Wanetick and Gayle Owens